This is a highly entertaining and sometimes annoying survey account of noise around the world and its impact on humans. Garret Keizer occasionally cites relevant points, such as that one’s reaction to noise is often tied to personal factors. If I’m married to a professional pilot, the noise from the nearby airport does not bother me the way it troubles my neighbors. (Human transportation remains the number one noisemaker around the world.) He also notes, importantly, that we do not become “used to” noise, and that its damage to our ears is all too permanent.

But Keizer also includes considerable material of little relevance that seems to be an attempt to justify his travels around the globe in the guise of doing research for this book. Is he serious about discussing the noise made by foreign sex workers? Keizer also makes one whopper of a questionable pronouncement, which is that noise is something imposed on us against our will. If we enjoy something, such as rock music, it is not noise. Nonsense. I love Live at Leeds by The Who but played at any volume it remains noise, even if a joyful one.

This compilation of random thoughts and scientifically based findings on noise is interesting but meandering. The editor was missing in action.

This review was written by Joseph Arellano. Reprinted courtesy of Sacramento Book Review.